More than a year since €1.58m was allocated to recruit 24 lactation consultants for the HSE, just two people have been hired and they have not yet started work. A review of international workforces carried out almost six years ago by the Health Research Board indicated there should be 64 lactation consultants here. However, there are just the equivalent of 32.9 lactation consultants working in public health, including part-time staff, although this has increased from 15 in 2017. The nine community health organisations have the equivalent of 8.3 lactation consultants. “The numbers are not the full story, we need more lactation consultants in hospitals and in communities, and we need them on every day of the week,” she said.

Source: Irish Examiner August 06, 2022 07:27 UTC